Changing the World, One Class at a Time
by soulmatesDC
Summary: Derek's giving a presentation to his 11th grade English class and hopes to open some of his classmates eyes along the way. Short oneshot. Dasey in the background.


A/N: I know, I know . . . you all probably wanted a chapter to TCE, but I haven't written it yet. This short one-shot was driving me insane and I wrote it quickly between classes. Don't know when I'm going to update TCE, but it should be within the next week or so.

This story is, well, silly and just a thought I had. It might not even be up here if it wasn't for a dear friend Inulover4eva (read her stories, they're really good and always push the envelope. You won't be disappointed.)

So special thanks to Cassandra, but remind me never to ask her to read something beforehand again. She's insanely nice but you _**made**_ one measly mistake and she jumps down your throat about it. I still have nightmares.

Enjoy and review

Disclaimer: I own nothing

PS- I miss my alerts emails!

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"Anymore questions?" Mr. Patterson asked the class. When no hands rose into the air, he turned his attention back to the presenter in front of the classroom. "Good job Miss Unger," he said as he stood from her seat and made his way back to the front of the room.

Mr. Patterson, 11th grade English teacher at Sir John Sparrow Thompson High School, reached his desk and crossed Brenda Unger's name off his list. Looking at the next name, the final person left to give a presentation, he sighed.

"Last, but not least, Mr. Venturi," Mr. Patterson sat down in his chair. "How long of an extension do you need this time?" he asked, pen poised to write down the date. From his interactions with Derek the year before, Mr. Patterson figured he would get the assignment in about a week, if he got it at all.

"None," Derek said, picking up the stack of papers on his desk. "I'm ready."

Not able to mask the shock on his face, Mr. Patterson stood from his desk and walked to the last row to sit in Derek's seat, finding it easier for his students to relax if the teacher wasn't singled out, but just another face in the crowd.

Derek walked around the room, placing a single sheet of paper upside down on every desk. "Please don't turn the paper over until I tell you to," he instructed the class.

Taking his place at the front of the classroom, Derek smiled. "My presentation is on," he motioned for the class to turn over the sheet of paper on their desks. "Incest," he continued when the content of the papers were revealed.

The class erupted into shocked whispers, startled gasps and a small, sighed 'Derek' to the right of Mr. Patterson. Turning, he saw Casey MacDonald shaking her head slightly, looking down at the sheet of paper.

Oh, it's all starting to make sense now.

Why the smartest girl in the class, who always sat in the front row with her hand in the air last year, now sat in the back never answering questions. Why the best friend of this girl, who at this time last year was extremely unpopular, was now surrounded with people who never spoke to her before. Why the boy, standing in front of the class room waiting for quiet, didn't seem to be the center of attention anymore. And why this boy and girl seemed to be shunned by their peers.

This is going to be interesting.

"Incest," Derek began again, silencing the last few people speaking. "Is a noun defined as 'Sexual intercourse between persons too closely related to marry, such as between a parent and a child'. It is considered illegal when the people engaging in such activities are biologically related, sharing DNA."

Derek paused, bringing his hands behind his back and waited while the people in front of him looked over the handout. On the sheet, Mr. Patterson noticed that there was a definition of incest and a few other sentences that Derek was sure to touch upon throughout his presentation.

"However, some people cannot help who they are related to. People develop feelings that they cannot deny and society condemns them for these feelings. But," Derek glared at some of the students in the class, those Mr. Patterson recognized as once being Derek's friends. "Not all of these individuals fall into the incest category. Some people are just closed minded and can't look past titles."

"Take Woody Allen for instance," here Derek gestured for everyone to look at the sheet in front of them. "He's a famous actor and director who married a previous girlfriend's adopted child. He helped to raise this person, Soon-Yi Previn, but never adopted her as his own child, not making them related. Therefore, not incest," he stated matter-a-factly.

"There are other types of couples that people who are throw into the incest category, but they shouldn't be." Derek tapped his finger on his chin, looking as if he was contemplating his next sentence. "People related through marriage of their parents, otherwise known as step-siblings, do not fall into this category."

Here, Derek paused, allowing his words and especially the tone in which he said them; sink into the people in the classroom. Mr. Patterson turned and looked towards Casey. She had her face in her hands, shaking her head slightly, but a small smile was on her lips. Turning his attention to the other occupants of the classroom, he smiled at the still shocked faces of the students, although realization was beginning to dawn on some of them.

"I have not been, nor ever will be, in a relationship that will be considered incest. First . . . big shocker here everyone . . . I am not engaging in sex." Derek looked meaningfully at a few people, who bowed their heads in shame. "I also do not have any intentions of sleeping with my mother, biological siblings, or any children I will have in the future."

Derek took a deep breath and looked at Mr. Patterson. "Now, I know I shouldn't blatantly throw my opinion into this," Derek raised a hand and smiled apologetically. "But personally I think that it is unfair to label a relationship between two people as incest, especially when they met one another about a month before the rest of this school met one of those involved. And it is not fair that they are denied to explore these feelings because people do not understand them. I know I wouldn't deny anyone happiness, so I expect the same from those around me."

Mr. Patterson watched as Derek walked down one of the aisles and leaned against the desk of a curly haired brunette, narrowing his eyes slightly at the girl. "Besides, jealousy is a rather unbecoming trait." He stood, and walked back to the front of the room. "And that concludes my presentation on incest. Any questions?"

No one moved to raise their hand or to whisper quietly to their neighbor. Derek smirked and looked to the back of the room at Mr. Patterson.

"I have a question Mr. Venturi," Derek nodded for him to continue. "Where did you find all your information?"

"Kid sister's dictionary, step-mom's entertainment magazines and" Derek eyes roamed the room, softening when they landed on the student to the right of Mr. Patterson. "Life experience," he finished.

Mr. Patterson smiled at the Derek, glanced around the room quickly before standing and making his way to the front of the room. As he passed Derek in the aisle he said, "Excellent presentation Derek."

"Thanks Mr. P."

Sitting at his desk, Mr. Patterson crossed Derek Venturi off his list, placing the handout in a folder that contained handouts from other presentations. "You all did a very good job. I should have the grades ready by-"

"Mr. Patterson," the curly brunette interrupted, hand waving in the air.

"Yes Miss Davis?"

"I was just wondering," she looked around at the smug faces of her new friends that were around her. "How exactly did that last presentation have anything to do with changing the world?"

"Maybe you should have been listening a little closer," Mr. Patterson told her after a few moments. He looked towards the back of the room at Derek whispering something to Casey. "Mr. Venturi," Derek looked up. "One class at a time, am I right?"

"Oh no," Derek smirked, reaching into his bag and pulling out a large stack of papers. "I made copies for the whole school."


End file.
